Trump will look out at a sea of women during his State of the Union
"Horseface." "Unattractive both inside and out." "Nasty woman." Those are just a few of the insults President Trump has hurled at women over the years. But for the State of the Union on Tuesday, Democrats are preparing a "feminist statement" to contrast with the president's rhetoric, packing the House chamber — and his line of sight — with women, The Associated Press reports.
In addition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who will sit over Trump's shoulder on camera, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who is presenting the Democratic rebuttal, two former Trump employees, both of whom are women and immigrants and have spoken out against the president's hiring practices, will be looming in the gallery overhead as guests.
Additionally, many of the record number of women House members are planning to wear "suffragette white" to stand out, as they have in years past, in "a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned rights," according to Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Democratic Women's Working Group.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For Democrats, a women-heavy audience is perhaps a particularly important visual as Trump is expected to "reaffirm his commitment to pro-life things," a Republican close to the White House told Politico.
"The American people elected a new Democratic Majority that would end the attacks on women's health care, and fight for preventive care for women," Pelosi said in a statement last month. "Strengthened by the millions of fearless women who continue to stand and march for their health care and rights, the House will fight to protect and build upon the promise of Roe v. Wade."
It won't be hard for Trump to miss which women she's talking about.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro


